A VALENTINE

For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes, Brightly expressive as the twins of Loeda, Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader. Search narrowly the lines! -- they hold a treasure Divine -- a talisman -- an amulet That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure -- The words -- the syllables! Do not forget The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor! And yet there is in this no Gordian knot

Which one might not undo without a sabre, If one could merely comprehend the plot. Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing Of poets, by poets -- as the name is a poet's, too. Its letters, although naturally lying Like the knight Pinto -- Mendez Ferdinando -- Still form a synonym for Truth -- Cease trying! You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.

1846.

[To discover the names in this and the following poem read the first letter of the first line in connection with the second letter of the second line, the third letter of the third line, the fourth of the fourth and so on to the end.]